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User blog:WaglingtonŒ/Album Reviews
what up dinguses As someone who cares for music quite a bit and loves sharing my thoughts on things, I thought it was about time I launch one of these. I'll do my best to periodically make new additions to the blog with new reviews. So here's how it'll work: Either by personal interest or suggestion from a wikian, I'll listen to an album a few times through and rate each song on a scale of 1-10 with a few personal thoughts attached. Once I've reached a reasonable score for each track, I'll take all the scores and average them to come up with my overall rating for the album (not always the case; if otherwise, it will be stated as such). I'll try to be diverse with my album pickings - many will be recent releases, though there will be occassional throwbacks. Without further ado, let's get started! Cage the Elephant - Tell Me I'm Pretty (January 12) Album Release Date: Decemeber 18, 2015 As an avid listener of the band since the release of its third album Melophobia, I was fairly excited for this album to come out. Cage the Elephant have proven themselves to be a very diverse band and I was eager for them to release their fourth album to see what they have in store for us. However, the band's very dedicated fanbase has been skeptical of the album since the release of its first single, Mess Around. It seems this album is most heavily inspired by early psychedelic bands and, quite obviously, a mix of modern rock, the type you hear from the Black Keys. But are things a bit too ''inspired this time? *Cry Baby - The album kicks off with the simple, easy to disgest Cry Baby. Though by all means a solid track, it's very clear from the first few seconds that CTE's sound has very drastically changed. It lacks the distinctive edge that the band's first three albums had. But that's not necessarily a bad thing - I appreciate that a band like CTE can change, evolve, and experiment with new types of music. A song about nothing really in particular, I'd argue its one weak point is the chorus, which many fans criticize as somewhat underwhelming. As a matter of fact, the whole song is a bit lacking vocally. Towards the end, it devolves into this sort of strange jam-session where all the different parts are playing at once and Matt's vocals are just dragging along, which contributes an entire minute to the track's runtime. Still, I think the song holds up in the end. 6/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gik-njvvd8I *Mess Around - The most controversial song on the album, also coincidentally its lead single. The general concensus is that this song is the worst track not just on the album, but in all of CTE's music so far. Personally, I think that judgment is a bit of a stretch; I wasn't a fan of some of the stuff on Thank You Happy Birthday, and I certainly think there are worse songs. Though admittedly, this song is fairly weak in terms of lyrics, chorus, instrumental - pretty much everything. Thankfully, with all that said, the song is still quite catchy and has a short but very, very sweet solo towards the end. 6/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl7cF9bwNHE *Sweetie Little Jean - This is one track that honestly surprised me in the nicest possible way. The subject, without giving too much away, is about the disappearance of a little girl and the effects the event has had on the narrator and the community of her town as a whole. A very emotional and touching song with a rough, hard rock exterior, Sweetie Little Jean really deviates from the pattern of most other tracks on this album, and that deviation pays off. It's refreshing, it's new, and it's clearly a song the band spent a lot of time and effort on. 8/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBaaF9yhcO8 *Too Late to Say Goodbye - The big, climactic song of the album, that had me hooked on my first listening. Just listen to it: it sounds like it belongs in a Bond movie opening sequence. However, after a while, the song got a bit old, and some of its previous highlights grew a bit stale to me. Even with that said, this is one song that really demonstrates the band's maturity and storytelling skills. And it does tell a story - what it is is just up to you. If you can suspend your doubts just until the chorus, you're guaranteed to experience the badass undertone that this song has and enjoy every second of it. 7/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxL4XVs_B9M *Cold Cold Cold - Like Sweetie Little Jean, this track deviates slightly from what one would expect and hooks the listener right from the start with really chilling arrangement and lyrics that sound like they were written by an intensive care patient. Simple in its meaning but very deliberate and almost masterful in its execution, Cold Cold Cold is one song that really shines on this album and is sure to stick with you if you can get past its unorthodox sound. 8/10 Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehm2SUYQbQI *Trouble - CTE has long struggled to find their own sound and meaning, though songs like Trouble can sometimes make you doubt they're really trying. Seriously, listen to Where is My Mindby the Pixies and then listen to Trouble. It's almost too clear where their inspiration is coming from, and I think the track suffers for it. Still, it's hard to get past the very touching lyrics and you've got to give the band credit for the fairly solid delivery. It's a song that evokes many emotions in the right listener, and I think that's how the song was written. The band has always been very good at painting a pretty clear picture with its lyrics and sound but still leaving a lot to imagination. Despite kind of being a blatant ripoff, I appreciate the track overall. 7/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcDYTcTXtI8 *How Are You True - Fittingly placed right next to Trouble, How Are You True is just as potent (if not more) with its somber lyrics and delivery with ten times the originality. Wasted time is a subject the band explored on their previous track and really expand upon here. The song is written almost like it switches back and forth between two perspectives: the caring friend of a very depressed person who feels they have nothing left to offer the world, and said person's harsh inner monologue that never seems to leave them. With poignant guitars, haunting backing vocals, and a top notch performance by the lead singer, How Are You True is a contender for the best track on the album. 9/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ADQ6rl6IY *That's Right - In a down mood right after hearing the last track? No problem, because That's Right immediately kicks things back into high gear with a return to the carefree, fun-loving theme of the band's first two albums. I've heard this track described as almost like a really goofy homage to the Scooby Doo theme and honestly I can hear where they're coming from. But that type of thing is what makes this song so enjoyable to listen to. It's a reminder from the band to the listener to stop worrying and just go with the flow like they were meant to do. The instruments really compliment that theme and are just as upbeat and wild as the lyrics. That's Right is a favorite of mine, right up there with How Are You True, and I think many old fans would agree with me. 8.5/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhfBGfiVqVI *Punchin' Bag - A sharp contrast to That's Right, Punchin' Bag sounds straight of a Tarantino film and has a very serious (but not too serious) message behind it that should be very apparent to any listener. Though the song has a few questionable design choices, at its core Punchin' Bag is a strong track and has a slightly more involved delivery by the lead singer compared to other songs on the album, and that certainly contributes to its score. 7/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liSowmzDRBs *Portuguese Knife Fight - With a title like that on a closing song, one would probably expect a dramatic and intense closer that leaves you shaken and satisfied with what you've heard. And though Knife Fight is a good track, I can't help but feel like it belonged somewhere in the middle and that there could have been a stronger closer for the album. In my mind, albums should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and Knife Fight just doesn't sound like an end. Still, its carefree lyrics and vocals are a charming throwback to the band's earlier material, and it holds up alright on its own. 6/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4RNsTcD7-k '''Closing Thoughts' Slightly weighted, my final score for Tell Me I'm Pretty is a solid 7. The band is still very much trying to find its own sound in the sea of old and new music that they're drawing inspiration now, but the album displays a very keen sense of growth and maturity. They're not the same band they were in 09, and I applaud them for that. Overall, I enjoyed the album and found it to be a worthy followup to the success of Melophobia. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in trying something new, though some songs may be harder to get into than others. David Bowie - Blackstar Before I start, I want to acknowledge just how much of an inspiration Bowie has been to me. His music never failed to give me the creative edge I needed while writing, or remind me that the world has so much more to offer than what meets the eye, or just give me something to rock out to. In the end, his music was unlike any other's, and his work has profoundly affected me as a person. For this reason, I will continue to remember him for what he did in his life rather than his death. Whether he intended it or not, Blackstar is David Bowie's last album. The final chapter in a compelling saga of creativity and personal expression. On first listen, I found the album a bit underwhelming, though my outlook on it has changed after a few repeat listens. With all that said, does the album live up to its expectations, and is it a worthy outro for Bowie? *Blackstar - The album opens with its namesake track, Blackstar. It becomes clear very quickly that something has changed in Bowie's music - the theme has very much shifted into something dark (but not too dark) and almost prophetic. I'm not one to make assumptions about a creator's thought process and certainly don't want to make light of such a tragic event, but this is definitely one of a few songs that pretty clearly, in my mind, is about Bowie's death, though not quite as vivid as, say, Lazarus, on the subject. Blackstar is a ten-minute preview of the album's distinct sound - blazing horn-like saxophones, very deliberate and controlled bass lines and guitars, and a drum arrangement that sounds wild and calculated at the same time. Admittedly that clash between what you're expecting and what the song delivers can be a bit off-putting, especially for such a long track. And its length certainly does lend itself to the central idea of the song - it's also kind of an odd choice and may lure you into the pretense that it's drawn out. Yes, it could have been shorter, but I believe Blackstar is a very strong start to the album thanks to its reflective nature, transe-like instruments, and Bowie's unorthodox performance. 8/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kszLwBaC4Sw *Tis a Pity She Was a Whore - The second track of the album comes across just as edgy as Blackstar but for different reasons. An example of the more vulgar moments some of the songs occassionally slip into, Tis a Pity retains the signature sax sound and mixes in a few interesting elements of its own, partly thanks to the pounding drum rolls but mainly to Bowie embracing the sort of frailty that his voice has gained due to probably a combination of his age and his condition. He takes this weariness and turns it into something that really works and even shines at moments. Still, Blackstar is a more refined if drawn out version of Tis a Pity and other tracks on the album have much more to offer. 6/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zF2tsBJnpk *Lazarus - Generally everyone's favorite track off this album and I'm no exception. To me, Lazarus is more than just one of David Bowie's best songs ever, it's a chilling recount of everything he's gone through and a statement about what he's become. This song is about everything and nothing. It's like he wrote his own epitaph and somehow managed to also write about a captive slave, a man losing his mind, and a mania-induced string of nonsense. By far, Lazarus is the most lyrically and musically sound track on the album, and a prime example of Bowie's genius that lasted to the very end. 10/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8 *Sue - A very unique track in the context of the album, Sue starts very strongly and quickly becomes a multi-layered haunting piece of music that by the end has transformed into something similiar but completely different from the beginning. The bass and drums are instantly recognizable and give this track something that listeners may feel others in the album lack. One gripe (a problem that can be brought up for a few songs on the album) is that some of the instruments feel a bit too compressed at times in the very digital environment they're being thrust into. 7/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOGPDAFTLQY *Girl Loves Me - A very dynamic and more traditional song than most others on the album, Girl Loves Me is another track that shines to me. One can obviously hear some hip hop roots in the song, and in a way it reminds me a lot of his earlier work, particularly the short interlude that happens around 3 and a half minutes in. It's an almost ghoulish sounding track as far as Bowie's vocals go, and to a lot of people I believe it will be very strange but oddly alluring. Sinister and edgy, Girl Loves Me is a track to remember. 9/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDCk1X2S00A *Dollar Days - Emotional and poignant, Dollar Days sets itself apart from other tracks on the album thanks to both its instrumentation, lyrics, and variety in vocals. I'd argue that the song gained a lot of weight after Bowie's death - I think, like Lazarus, it was very much about him struggling to come to terms with what he knows is coming. A fan favorite and rightly so. 8/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqW-kvU5cLg *I Can't Give Everything Away - Probably the most grounded and digestable track on the album, it's also the last and portrays a slightly different outlook than most other songs on the album. Can't Give Everything is immediately set apart thanks to its harmonica segments and even more pronounced saxophones. It's a reflective and simple song that still conveys something powerful and enjoyable to listen to. The very last chronological track David Bowie will ever make, the rolling guitar solo towards the end is the perfect way to close this experimental ride into the unknown. A fitting end for an extraordinary artist. 9/10. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE1Zcngd3VA Closing Thoughts What more can really be said at Blackstar? With a very strong 8/10 (perhaps even a light 9) it's bittersweet without being so emotional that it's unsettling. I think what was important was that Bowie knew exactly how he wanted to end his career. After a year and a half of fighting cancer and with a whole lifetime behind him, this was the album that he always wanted to make. And it's what his biggest fans have always wanted to hear. There's no telling what the future holds - what impact Bowie will have on future generations and how he'll be remembered. But I can definitively say that at least for has long as he's been alive, David Bowie was a legend among men who inspired countless people. It's better to burn out than fade away. "If you're sad today, just remember the world is over 4 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie." The Shins - Port of Morrow B I G S H I N S B O Y S Exciting stuff! With speculation that the Shins will be dropping a new album in 2016'™ '''combined with my recent discovery of the band, I thought this would be a perfect time to review their most recent album, Port of Morrow. An indie pop hit that explores new concepts just as much as it embraces its predecessors, let's dive right in. *The Rifle's Spiral- While an admittedly odd choice for an opening track, Rifle's Spiral does an excellent job of captivating the listeners' attention. A stark contrast to most other tracks on the album, this is a noticeably darker song comparitively that largely uses the same instrumentation as its contemporaries but sets itself apart from the others with its startling lyricism; as good a criticism of organized religion as it is a catchy pop hit, The Rifle's Spiral earns an 8/10. Also worth noting is its music video, which is linked above - I won't spoil it for you. *Simple Song- The hit single for Port of Morrow, Simple Song is one of the better moments on the album. While largely conventional in its composure, James Mercer's heartfelt delivery and poignant, nostalgic, homegrown lyrics deliver a simple, yet powerful message to any listener. It also translates very well to a live environment, which I would highly recommend to any curious listeners. Accompanying it is an excellently directed music video, which tells a top notch story with a beginning, middle, and end in less than five minutes. 8.5/10. *It's Only Life- A much more personal but nonetheless similar song to the previous, It's Only Life is an open letter to those in need of help: all things must pass, and beauty can be found in the simplest of things. Whether you're missing something in life or just need a friend, It's Only Life is a refreshing, comforting track that only slightly borders on the arguably preachy side of things. 8/10. *Bait and Switch- In what I would call a "legendary musical mood-swing," the vibrant and upbeat Bait and Switch comes directly after It's Only Life and immediately reminds any senior listeners of some of the Shins' earlier work. Mercer's delivery sounds noticeably more "on edge," on Bait/Switch compared to the other tracks and it serves the song well. A song with roots in traditional tropical music with a psychedelic chorus and bridge, Bait and Switch is more than anything else a testmant to the band's musical maturity and their ability to break from the norm. One gripe is that Mercer's vocals seem to be sort of drowned out in the chorus by the loud electric guitars; a small production oversight that can be forgiven. 7/10. *September- Perhaps the most modest track on the album, September is a fond retelling of the month in which Mercer met his fiance and the feelings he associates with that point in time. A mostly acoustic track with excellent backing vocals (almost too excellent), September provides one of the most memorable choruses on the track with arguably weak verses that lack some of the fine-tuning some other tracks exhibit. Still, September is a fittingly simple love song and an appropriate slow point in the album. 7/10. *No Way Down- You know what I love? When songs make statements! No Way Down is obviously one of the most outspoken tracks on the album told form the perspective of a "one percenter," kid who identifies more with his more middle and lower class friends and slowly becomes disillusioned with the system of capitalism and the damage it's caused. Excellent composed and one of the heavier tracks lyrically on the album, No Way Down is a socialist's love song, but just about anyone can enjoy it for its loving delivery. 8.5/10. *For a Fool- The first Shins song I'd ever heard, For a Fool is a track I deeply care for. Put simply, it is a song about hopelessness and coping with the mistakes of the past. Arguably one of the most beautiful tracks on the album, its lead arrangement is nothing less than mesmerizing and its subtle rhythm patterns are just as necessary to the final product as Mercer's excellent delivery. 9/10. *Fall of '82- A primarily keyboard-oriented track that shares a few common themes with September, Fall of 82 is a mixed bag of emotions and hidden meanings. This track is one where Mercer's vocals are more capitalized compared to some of the others on the album. Out of nowhere is an odd trumpet solo that's charming in the weirdest way possible; all in all, it's these moments that prove the Shins don't take themselves too seriously without fading into carelessness territory. Fall of 82 also has my favorite closing verse on the whole album and is honestly worth a listen just for the end result. 8/10. *40 Mark Strasse- The past is a common theme on this album, and 40 Mark Strasse is a sort of self-referential fanfiction of Mercer's own childhood, told through the eyes of a kid who falls in love with a troubled "dancer," whom he watches sneak out of her house on Friday nights. But what really sets this track apart is that, despite it telling a very obvious and straightforward story, the song itself has become a sort of anthem for the depressed and heartsick. It's sure to strike a chord with anyone patient enough to listen. 9/10. *Port of Morrow- The album's climactic closing track, Port of Morrow is an eerie tune delivered fully in an edgy falsett by Mercer. Mostly synthetic in arrangement and focusing on solemnly explored themes such as knowing one's place in nature and the responsibilities of parenthood, POM is evidently a very personal track for Mercer and accordingly wears the effort that was put into it on its sleeve. Though not quite as impactful in its lyricism compared to other tracks on the album, POM is an excellent and memorable closer for the album and a fitting title track. 8/10. '''Closing Thoughts' Scoring a decisive light 8, Port of Morrow is undoubtedly my favorite Shins album. It's an album that expertly blends a variety of themes and weaves them together like a heartfelt novel. And if nothing else, it makes me optimistic for their inevitable followup album coming soon. Rusty Cage - Crowley 3 years after his second LP, Rusty Cage released Crowley, his third full-length album, in March of 16. An indie, Youtube-based musician with deep roots in occult folk, hip-hop, and a number of other abominations, Rusty Cage's new album combines all his influences together in a horrifying amalgamation of tunes that is (probably) unlike anything most listeners have ever heard. *Bone to Pick- After a few moments of strange distorted sound bytes reminiscent of festering flies accompanied by a chillng voiceover by Cage, the song quickly explodes into a Gospel-esque dirty dirge comprised of several layers of vocals, keyboards, slide guitars, and rhythmic stomping. As usual, Cage's substantial vocal range more than holds up, but the true highlight of the track is the inventive instrumentation seldom heard in tunes old or new. 9/10. *The Lives of Flies - If nothing else, Rusty Cage knows how to make an impression; he's been implementing unconventional instruments into his songs since the very beginning and that makeshift concept is most prevalent in The Lives of Flies. More so than in any other tracks in the album, LOF features Cage's indefatigable, angst-filled rapping, which he uses to drill his message into the listener until they can't ignore it. The one weak point in the track is the bassline, which, at times, can be a bit choppy. 8/10. *What They Said- Very similar in composition to Bone to Pick, What They Said is, in essence, a track that holds up on its own but is based around a theme that is simply delivered better by the more energeting BTP. 6/10. *Adipocere- The morbid and macabre are arguably what Cage does best. In Adipocere, any doubts that "Crowley" would be any less dark than Cage's previous two releases are immediately cast aside. With chilling vocals/lyricism, a rolling combination of accordions and knife instrumentation, and a catchy-as-hell guitar motif, Adipocere is also accompanied by a top-notch music video that is a must-see for first listeners. The only thing missing is a more impactful bassline, which I believe would serve the track quite well. 8/10. *The Mysterious Stranger- One of the longer tracks on Crowley, and with good reason. Hauntingly beautiful at times and jam-packed with lyrics that expertly tell a tale very much open to interpretation, Mysterious Stranger is without a doubt the highlight of the entire album that not only has a superior chorus compared to the other tracks, but also more concise instrumentation as a whole. 10/10. *Ain't the Man- The hardest hitting track on the album, Ain't the Man might be confused for a quieter song in its first few measures, but by the time the pickup to the first verse hits, its true potential is realized. With obvious inspiration from long-forgotten rock hits from decades prior, the song features intentionally botched vocals in a recurring quiet-loud dynamic pattern and both subtle and overt instrumentation at times. 8/10. *The Devil's Song- The longest and most polarizing track by far, it may be difficult for some to discern whether its lyrics are satirical or serious in nature, but at the very least, the song has more than solid instrumentation that is both very diverse and unified in its tone. Similar to Bone to Pick, TDS has an ironically gospel-esque theme and also borrows a few beats from Ain't the Man, but never delves completely into the previous track's total distortion. 7/10. *When I'm Drinking Whiskey- A somewhat underwhelming outro for the given album, WIDW feels slightly out of place in Crowley and may have been much more appropriate in a more reserved release. Still, on its own WIDW, is a strangely warm and fuzzy track and that somehow manages to remind me of "home." I also appreciate its grander feel towards the end that, unfortunately, only lasts a few moments before the conclusion of both the track and the album. 7/10. Closing Thoughts Crowley is one of those albums that feels like it was made by a much more popular musician than it actually was. The composition of the release is startlingly mature for a z-list Youtuber with only around 100k subscribers - which I think might be a subtle overarching theme of the album. Rusty's music has always been seemingly intentionally dark and unconventional, perhaps in an attempt to scare off any fans who think they'll find something familiar in his songs. However, at its core (Crowley especially) his music is pure creative expression that almost anyone can find something agreeable in. The Shins - Heartworms The Shins, The Shins, The Shins. What really can be said about the leadup to Heartworms other than that it's been a hell of a ride? 2012's Port of Morrow was a sharp contrast to Mercer's earlier work; instead of folky acoustic ballads, the band moved more in the direction of cleanly produced, more poppy sounds that still retained James' murky and elusive songwriting while dipping their toes ever-so-slightly into a metaphorical pond of sounds that could be described as almost daring. The biggest problem with Port of Morrow, however, was that, while there were a few songs in the cut that pushed the boundaries of what listeners had come to expect of The Shins (that being poetic, subdued indie rock), the cleaner production and profound sense of dreary nostalgia attributed to a sense of caution on the album; life and death were discussed in great detail, borrowing events from Mercer's past and present to explore both themes in an interesting way, yet it was almost as if he had forgotten to have fun while producing Port of Morrow. There was quirkiness, but it was synthetic and planned rather than volatile and exciting. Five years later, The Shins have finally released their newest album, Heartworms. *Name For You- It is intriguing to compare the opening to Heartworms and Port of Morrow. PoM's opener is a haunting evaluation of the effects of organized religion on the human psyche, and Name For You is an immediate reminder that Shins frontman James Mercer hasn't forgotten how to have fun, after all - a revelation one could glean by studying both the instrumentation and lyrics. Name For You explores the broad theme of female empowerment and the issues women tend to experience in life, both within and without. The instruments, both real and synthetic, are peppy and driving, and are mixed quite well with Mercer's vocals. Name For You is an exciting opener to Heartworms that, if anything, could use a more pronounced bridge section to keep things interesting. 8/10. *Painting a Hole- A lyrical throwback in many respects to an earlier Shins song, Painting a Hole retains the energy of the previous track and dials it up to an 11. While it shares some themes with the earlier Shins song from which it derives its name, the instrumentation is quite the contrast. Its edgy minor key hooks the listener in promptly, and the cacophony of sounds that follows introduce the vocals quite nicely. What makes Painting a Hole a great track isn't just its classic Shins poeticism - it's the break from the norm as far as style. The track is long enough to give the song the time it needs to develop its unique and vibrant, and its fresh but by no means "clean" production makes it a standout track. 9/10. *Cherry Hearts- In an interesting stylistic choice, Heartworms immediately reverts back to the more poppy theme of Name For You. Cherry Hearts once again features Mercer's slightly reverbed vocals over intermittent bright synths and aqueous drums that are reminiscent of bubbles popping. Backup vocals on this track almost blend in seamlessly with the peppy instrumentation, and James' voice is more provocative and varied than in any previous album (a trend that will continue with the remainder of Heartworms). The verses on this track are quite engaging, but one would be forgiven if they found the chorus slightly underwhelming, if cheesey. 8/10. *Fantasy Island- Heartworms takes a sharp whimsical turn on the next track. James' vocals, accompanied by dreamy and floaty synths, come in after a quick introduction of distorted guitars. Actually, dreamy and floaty synths would be an understatement. At any given time in this track, there may be a dozen sounds at once competing to be heard, and Mercer's voice sometimes suffers from it. The lyrics are charming and quite introspective but share Fan the Cherry Hearts gripe of being a touch sophomoric. There are instrumental changes, but the song stays at the same speed throughout. It's in Fantasy Island that Heartworms truly delves into "dream pop" territory, which is at once one of the album's glaring problems and one of its biggest strengths. It is evident the track was fun to make. Some of the choices made while having fun were questionable. Still, Fantasy Island is almost relaxing in some ways, and truly studying its lyrics can enhance one's enjoyment of it. 7/10. *Mildenhall- Like Fantasy Island, Mildenhall explores some of James' early memories, but in a less whimsical and more rugged fashion. In fact, Mildenhall may very well be the most candid track on Heartworms - and for that it sticks out like a sore thumb. The song sounds almost country with its mostly acoustic driven verses and modestly synth-backed choruses. What makes the track stand out is Mercer's vocal delivery; he delivers his seldom-heard low notes quite tastefully and effortlessly floats up to his higher range when required. On its own, Mildenhall is an excellent, subdued track, that isn't so much thought provoking as it is revealing about the writer's experiences and how they shaped his outlook on life. Therein lies another issue with the album: these are all fine tracks, but where is the sense of flow from one song to another? 7/10. *Rubber Ballz- As the reader may no doubt have predicted, Rubber Ballz takes Heartworms in yet another direction on its ever-swerving rollercoaster of styles and themes. The song quicks off quite quickly with surprisingly uniquely delivered acoustic verses that escalate into hectic choruses. The strong percussion and bass on Rubber Ballz serve the track well and actually blend quite well with Mercer's almost regretful yet upbeat vocals and the recurring guitar. The lyrics tell a strange tale of a boy who falls in with a girl that's "out of his league" and convinces him to commit murders for her; I won't spoil the end. The refreshing storytelling angle of Rubber Ballz makes it a more than memorable track, and the peppy instrumentation and delivery only helps its case. 9/10. *Half a Million - Could it be? Consistency?!?!? Half a Million is similar in style to Rubber Ballz but is decidedly angrier in tone; also unlike the previous track, I immediately want to skip to the next song because of Mercer's abrasive opening vocals. Thankfully, more patient listeners (who stick around for the next 5 seconds) may be relieved to hear that the song recovers quite quickly. Half a Million has one of the better choruses on Heartworms but has somewhat weaker verses that almost seem self-indulgent from a lyrical standpoint. It's almost as if James is putting himself on this pedastal of being a Kurt Cobain-level rock star that is struggling with problems he's created in his mind and is some sort of tortured soul that the world expects far too much of. Still, the track manages to be just poignant by the end; I just wish it felt more complete. 6/10. *Dead Alive- Oh, look, another weird Heartworms track that is nonsensically placed in the setlist. Dead Alive was the first track released in lieu of the new album, many months before it even had a name. It was an interesting choice for the first single, and also an interesting new direction for the band; the song sounds like it belongs on a Halloween-themed concept album rather than the story-driven Heartworms, and for that it can be described as almost dissonant. Credit where it's due, however, Dead Alive is certainly a return to form for the band lyrically, and it manages to be quite engaging if you allow yourself to "feel the music," but does not contribute to the overall cohesion of the album. 7/10. *Heartworms- We arrive at the sentimental and melancholy title track. In many ways, Heartworms is like a less silly and more down-to-earth version of Rubber Ballz; the beat is quite catchy, and Mercer's vocals are passionate and emotionally adjusted to the tone. He sounds almost frustrated in his telling of a story about a boy who is hopelessly obsessed with someone who is probably only vaguely aware of his existence. Interestingly, this song is among the least synth-based on the album, which is a quite welcome change of pace. As the conclusion of the album nears, the title track almost feels like the beginning of the last paragraph in an eccentric essay. 8.5/10. *So Now What- Before I share my thoughts on this track, it must be noted that the song is actually a few years old; it was created for a Zach Braff movie, a director that has quite potently used Shins music in his projects in the past. I enjoyed the original version quite a bit when it came out; it wasn't especially remarkable, but it certainly felt like a "Shins" song with its subdued instrumentation and poignant poetry. One gripe I had with it was its production; the sounds were beautiful, but there were many of them at once - almost too many to pick out - and they almost drowned out James' voice. This is a telltale characteristic of dream pop, which has been explored quite extensively on Heartworms. The genre has the potential to be touching but also runs the risk of being bland and boring. In the case of the album version, So Now What leans towards the latter end of the spectrum. When Mercer claimed in an interview it would be a remixed version of the original, he technically wasn't lying, but it almost felt like cheating to include it on this album. So Now What is a good song. Don't do it a disservice by slightly changing the instrumentation, adding some reverb to the vocals, and selling it as something new. 6/10. *The Fear- The Shins have a celebrated history of excellent closing tracks, perhaps none more so than the title track of Port of Morrow, which explores quite heavy themes for the music of The Shins - death, life, a person's place in nature. The Fear, meanwhile, dives into the more apparent aspects of the human experience. James, though subtle lyricism, tells a lifelong story of anxiety and depression. The Fear tugs at one's heartstrings because it's about the most primal and devastating things that people can experience. By the end of the song, the narrator has lived a long life full of regrets and doubts, and, looking into his lover's eyes, he sees nothing but a stranger. This song is, from a lyrical standpoint, not only a worthy closer and successor of Port of Morrow, but one of the best in the Shins discography. The issue is that the version on Heartworms is, in my mind, quite inferior to the live, acoustic rendition which can be found here.Unlike the album version, it prominently displays James' vocals and lets the lyrics take the center stage as opposed to being at equal level with the beautiful yet overbearing instruments. There is a lot going on in The Fear; the production simply doesn't put the most important part at the forefront. I would be remiss, however, if I did not give it credit for being the touching evaluation of what it means to be a human being that it is. "This fear is a terrible drug; if I only had sense enough to let it give way to love." Closing Thoughts What I've come to accept about the music of The Shins is that it is almost never immediately appealing, even for the most diehard fans. Upon my first listen of Heartworms, I was quite concerned that it would never live up to my hopes; that it would be a complete dud, a chapter of Shins history to be shrugged off and forgotten. I also knew deep down that, given time, this album would become part of my life if I only allowed it to. Don't get me wrong: there are issues with this album that are immediately apparent to even the most untrained ears. As mentioned, there is little to no cohesive sound to Heartworms. The transition from Fantasy Island to Mildenhall then finally Rubber Ballz is jarring and hurts the album. Some of the synth lines sound like bubblegum pop and a few stanzas are a far cry from the level of discrete and potent songwriting I know James is capable of. Yet, at the same time, each song offers something unique that is both familiar and completely different from anything The Shins have put out before. For that reason, Heartworms is, I believe, a superior album to Port of Morrow. I'm glad James Mercer allowed himself to have fun with Heartworms, and his enthusiasm for the content shows. I waited over a year for this album to drop; much like the nature of The Shins, good things come to those who wait. "You look into my eyes, but you don't really recognize me anymore." Favorite Tracks: Rubber Ballz, The Fear, Painting a Hole Least Favorite Track: So Now What, Half a Million Category:Blog posts